Heating system for rail switches



Aug. 25, 1936. F. H. THOMPSON, JR 1, I

HEATING SYSTEM FOR RAIL SWITCHES Filed Mrch 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheetl ATTORNEY.

Aug. 25, 1936. F. H. THOMPSON, JR 5 HEATING SYSTEM FOR RAIL SWITCHES Filed March 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 &\\\\\\\\\ INVENTOR,

BY M

, ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 25, 1936 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in heating systems for rail switches.

An object of my invention is to provide a heating system for rail switches incorporating a plurality of inter-communicating and interchangeable heating units, to which fuel may besupplied, by a more or less flexible system of piping. By

means of this arrangement of cooperating parts,

the system may be easily and quickly adapted to provide a maximum of heat at the most desirable points, and also to conform to varying dimensions and conditions of rail switch construction.

A further object of my invention is to provide, in a rail heating system, a plurality of burner units, each of which may be individually controlled as to fuel consumption of heat, and each of which may be removed from and replaced. in the system, without disturbing the efliciency, or operation, of, the system as a whole.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a rail heating system which is simple and sturdy in construction, capable of being installed, removed, and operated by inexperienced labor, and adaptable for compact storage, when not in use.

These, and other objects and advantages of my invention, will be more completely disclosed and described in the specification, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

Broadly, my invention comprises, a plurality of burner units, a source of fuel supply, communicating means between the source of supply and the burner units, means for removably securing the burner units in the communicating means, and means for shutting off the fuel supply at each burner unit, without blocking the fuel supply to other burner units.

A preferred embodiment of. my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a rail switch with the heating system installed.

Fig. 2 is a cross, sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of one of the burner units.

Fig. 4 is a vertical, sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan, sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a cross, sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a cross, sectional view on the line 1-1 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, in

which like numerals refer to like parts throughout:--

The rails 2, 3, 4, and 5 of a rail switch I are secured by means of plates 6 on ties I, which are supported on a roadbed 8, in the usual manner. 5 Oil burner units 19 are located beneath the rails 2 ,and .3 and also beneath the rails. 4 and 5 and between each of the ties I. The burner units 9 are removably secured in pipe fittings I0, which are connected in pairs, between the ties by branch 10 or cross pipes I l, between the rails, as shown. Each pair of. burners is connected in series with all other pairs by means of pipes I2 which are connected to a main oil supply pipe I3, The pipe I3 is connected, through a shutoff valve I4, to 15 an oil fuel supply tank I5, which may be located at any convenient point, preferably above the pipe [3, to provide for gravity fuel feed. A coupling IS, in the pipe I3, provides means for disconnecting the supply pipe I3 from the fuel tank Hi. When disconnected .at I6, the whole system of pipes and burners may be moved away from their positions, beneath the rail switch I and handled as a unit; such as placing the same on a flat car for removal to a place of storage. For convenience in draining the system, I have shown drainage cocks II, connected at the end of each pair of. burners.

Referring to Figs. 3-7, inclusive, the burner units 9 are built up with an outer, cylindrical 30 casing I9, an inner, cylindrical member 20, an annular ring member 2 I, channel-shaped in cross section, between the outer and inner cylinders I9 and 20, near the top edge of the member 20, a supporting plate 22 for the inner cylindrical member 20, a supporting ring 23 for the plate member 22, and a bottom, or base, plate 24, for the outer casing I9. These parts are welded, or otherwise secured together, to provide a strong, sturdy, and unitary structure. The inner, cylin ,0 drical member 20 is filled with a wicking material 25 which, during operation of the burner, is saturated with a liquid fuel. The member 20 projects slightly above the ring member 2|, as shown at 20, to provide an annular, collecting 45 channel 26 for ice, snow, or water, which may drop into the burner 9, and openings 27, in the outer casing I9, provide drainage for the channel 26, to the outside of the casing I9. Openings 28, in the plate 22, and openings 29, in the ring 23, 5 provide a free circulation of liquid fuel, within the outer casing l9. Openings 30, in the inner, cylindrical member 20, permit the liquid fuel to enter the member 20 from the casing I9, and thereby, saturate the wicking 25.

A plate 3|, welded, or otherwise secured to the base plate 24 of the casing 19, has secured thereon a sleeve member 32 and a tapered valve member 33. The pipe fitting IE] is provided with an upwardly, extending boss 34 and is formed with a tapered valve seat 35. When the burner 9 is assembled on the fitting ID, the upwardly extending boss 34 lies between the valve member 33 and the sleeve 32. The sleeve 32 is provided with lugs, or studs 36, which engage in the arcshaped, bayonet slots 31, formed in the boss 34, to hold the burner in positon on the fitting I0. The ends of the horizontal portions of the slots 37 provide stops for open and closed positions of the valve 33, as indicated in Fig. 6. The valve 33 is formed with a vertical, axial opening 38 which, at its upper end, registers with an opening 39, through the plates 24 and 3|, and at its lower end, merges into a horizontal opening 40. A second, horizontal opening 4! is formed in the valve 33 with its axis at right angles to the axis of the opening 40. When the valve is in operating, or open positon, as indicated in Fig.4, liquid fuel entering the fitting ID from the pipe [2 flows through the opening 43 and also upward through the opening 38, into the casing l9. When the burner 9 is revolved 90 degrees, the valve 33 is turned to closed position, in which position, fuel entering the fitting it! from the pipe l2, will flow through the opening 4| into the pipe H, thereby continuing to supply other burners in the system, but access to the casing I9, through the opening 38, will be shut off. By turning the burner S to a halfway position between open and closed position, the studs 36 will register with the vertical portions 31 of the slots 31, and the burner 9, including the sleeve 32 and valve 33, may be lifted and removed from the fitting H).

A cover 42, movably supported above the wick chamber 20, serves to control the amount of oxygen available to the wicking 25 and to protect the chamber 20 and its contents from the drip of ice, snow, or water. The cover 42 is supported by means of lugs 43 on oppositely, extending rods 44, which are mutually engaged by gears 45, as shown in Fig. 5. The rods 44 are each provided with a gear 46 and an operating button 41, and the gears 45 are engaged in oppositely, disposed, racked slots 48, formed in the outer casing 19. Revolution of either button 41 will cause the gears 46 to move in opposite directions in the slots 48, as indicated by arrows 49 in Fig. 5, thereby causing the cover 42 to descend toward the cylindrical member 2i). As the top edge I9 of the casing i9 is intended to be located close to the under side of the switchrails, additional openings 58 may be provided in the casing H] to permit entrance of sufficient air for eflicient combustion. A bale 5|, secured on the casing l9, provides for easy handling of the burner and for turning the same for insertion in and removal from the pipe fitting H]. A stud 52 is also secured on the plate 3! to provide means for turning the burner 9 in the fitting it, when the burner is located under the switch rails and the bail is not available for use.

What I claims is: r

1. In combination with a burner having a fuel receiving chamber, a valve plug secured to the burner, and having a passageway therethrough in communication with said chamber, a fuel feed pipe having avalve casing in which the valve plug is rotatably mounted, and a bayonet joint construction detachably and rotatably connecting said valve casing and burner, whereby the feed of fuel to the burner is controlled by rotating the burner.

2. In combination with a pipe for supplying fuel to a plurality of burners, a burner having a fuel receiving chamber, a valve plug secured to the burner and having peripherially spaced passages therethrough, one of which is in communication with said chamber, a valve casing in said pipe in which said plug is rotatably mounted and means rotatably and detachably connecting said valve casing and burner, the passages being so arranged that the feed of fuel to the burner may be cut off by rotating said burner without terminating the flow of fuel through said pipe.

FREDERICK H. THOMPSON, JR. 

